Your view: Merry Christmas

Thursday, December 22, 2005

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I did not say happy holidays. There are those in authority who don't want to offend anyone who may be of a religion other than Christianity, but are they concerned about offending the God of the universe and his son Jesus Christ, whose birthday we celebrate December 25th? Or, are they concerned about offending those of us who celebrate Christmas as a special day and not just another holiday?

Christmas IS NOT just another holiday, but to Christians everywhere it is a HOLY DAY that represents the day of our Savior's birth. If other religions do not want to recognize it as such, so be it, they have free choice. It seems though, that they can celebrate their holidays and there is never a question raised as the whether it is offensive to the Christians of the world who worship Jesus as Lord and Savior.

When you take Christ out of Christmas (taken out of his own birthday) then it would be just another day that the merchants have thought up to help people go in debt. Who would ever have thought that a nation founded by Christian leaders, and whose laws based on biblical principles, would ever have let a debate such as this one come to the forefront.

The Church, all denominations, stood silently by and let the ungodly take prayer out of our schools and the Ten Commandments off the walls of our classrooms, and every where else that they could have been read and maybe influence someone not to kill, or steal, or do any of the other commandments that would lead to a good moral life style. Now, instead of thou shalt not kill (murder), we have children killing each other in the classrooms and hallways of our schools. The Bible is truly right on target, we do reap what we sow.

They want to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, in a country that is only here by the grace of God. There are those who want to throw God out because these other religions are moving into our great nation and our government doesn't want to offend them or the gods, (notice the little g), they serve. I say praise God, we do have a choice, but it shouldn't mean I have to give up my rights for theirs.

Are we becoming a nation of idol worshippers If so, go take a look at the best history book ever written, the BIBLE, and see how God dealt with the idol worshippers in the past. I know as a student of the Bible that there has to be a great falling away before the Lord Jesus can return for his church, and that things are going according to God's plan, perhaps faster than we as Christians can even imagine. Jesus is coming back! And the events such as the question before us today as to whether it's Christmas or only another holiday are hastening the day of his return.

When those is authority, that we the people have put in the White House (and only because they said they were Christians), choose not to send cards that say Merry Christmas, but rather happy holidays, are in effect letting the whole world know that they are in favor of taking Christ out of Christmas, (actions do speak louder than words). They may not realize it but they are offending a large group of people known as Christians, but it seems we don't matter.

I call this straddling the fence to keep everyone happy, but God says it is being lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, and God says those he will spew out of his mouth, Revelation 3:16.

And why are our politicians taking this stand? To get votes. Let's face it, Christians do vote and a lot of the ones you don't want to offend aren't even citizens and can't vote! The fact is though, that this is not a political issue; it is a spiritual issue and guess who is still in control, God Almighty, the one who created the universe and his son Jesus Christ. God says he is a jealous God, and he will not share praise with idols (Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 42:8) and I for one do not want to offend him, ever!

Praise God! We still have the freedom of speech (at least for a while) and I can voice my opinion and say Merry Christmas and God Bless You to all who want to hear it, and may God have mercy on your soul to those who don't want to hear the good news about the way to salvation through Jesus Christ. If anyone reading this is looking for a good Church family, you will always be welcome at North Acres General Baptist Church located at 202 Kennedy Drive, Sikeston, Mo. The Reverend Steve Tippen is pastor and morning worship begins at 10:45 a.m. with Christian education at 9:45 a.m.